daviseri Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Hello, All. I just received a 57 K Wheatstone Crane Duet from Algar and want to keep it as nice as it has arrived. I'm in California, but I still have central heating for the cool evenings. I have a hard case for the instrument. What tools/ techniques do you experienced concertina owners use to keep your instruments at about 50 % humidity? I saw something called a dampit which looked like it could fit into my case with the instrument. any ideas out there? Best, Eric Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 (edited) Hello, All. I just received a 57 K Wheatstone Crane Duet from Algar and want to keep it as nice as it has arrived. I'm in California, but I still have central heating for the cool evenings. I have a hard case for the instrument. What tools/ techniques do you experienced concertina owners use to keep your instruments at about 50 % humidity? I saw something called a dampit which looked like it could fit into my case with the instrument. any ideas out there? Best, Eric Dampit's ok but you need a humidistat to measure the humidity. I've got a Caliber III Thermometer Hygrometer, http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0007W1EA6/?tag=blog-fv4-20 for about $15 works fine. As for the dampit, I used a plastic soap box with holes drilled in it and a sponge inside that I would moisten from time to time and keep in the case. That worked well when I remembered to add the water... until I had more than a few concertinas. Now I have a dedicated piece of furniture with shelves and a Sunpentown Digital Ultrasonic Humidifier with Hygrostat Sensor that keeps everything at about 50%. This works a treat and I only have to add water once a month during my heating season. Because I live in the North East US the winter heating really messes up my instruments and without this solution I would have to open them up and make adjustments twice a year, but no more. Edited February 3, 2012 by Jody Kruskal Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Franch Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 The original question was about excessive dryness, which Jody's excellent answer dealt with. I, too, have had those winter heating issues. Any comments about excessive humidity? Or isn't that a factor? Damp and cold, I suppose, is the natural habitat of British instruments, but in lots of the US we deal with damp and damn hot in the summer! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviseri Posted February 3, 2012 Author Share Posted February 3, 2012 Hi, Jody! I took a lesson from you and we used to live a few blocks from each other in Brooklyn. I wondered if it was you when you said you lived in the N.E. ! Hope you are well and thanks for the advice. Best, Eric Hello, All. I just received a 57 K Wheatstone Crane Duet from Algar and want to keep it as nice as it has arrived. I'm in California, but I still have central heating for the cool evenings. I have a hard case for the instrument. What tools/ techniques do you experienced concertina owners use to keep your instruments at about 50 % humidity? I saw something called a dampit which looked like it could fit into my case with the instrument. any ideas out there? Best, Eric Dampit's ok but you need a humidistat to measure the humidity. I've got a Caliber III Thermometer Hygrometer, http://www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B0007W1EA6/?tag=blog-fv4-20 for about $15 works fine. As for the dampit, I used a plastic soap box with holes drilled in it and a sponge inside that I would moisten from time to time and keep in the case. That worked well when I remembered to add the water... until I had more than a few concertinas. Now I have a dedicated piece of furniture with shelves and a Sunpentown Digital Ultrasonic Humidifier with Hygrostat Sensor that keeps everything at about 50%. This works a treat and I only have to add water once a month during my heating season. Because I live in the North East US the winter heating really messes up my instruments and without this solution I would have to open them up and make adjustments twice a year, but no more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenTx Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 [ Interesting discussion. Is there a humidity range that is recommended or is it 50% period. Stephen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gcoover Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Interesting discussion. Is there a humidity range that is recommended or is it 50% period. Stephen Stephen, wouldn't you just love to have humidity as low as 50% in East Texas? I think the average humidity there is more like 9000% in summer! Gary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted February 3, 2012 Share Posted February 3, 2012 Hi Eric, I remember you well. Did you ever end up letting the Red Bastard play the concertina in your show? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviseri Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 Hi Eric, I remember you well. Did you ever end up letting the Red Bastard play the concertina in your show? Not into the show. I did a couple small performances. But I had not gotten too far with it. So now I am surrounded by musicians both at work and at home, so I'm going to take advantage of that for a couple of years and really dig into it. the new instrument is a beauty! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviseri Posted February 4, 2012 Author Share Posted February 4, 2012 Hi Eric, I remember you well. Did you ever end up letting the Red Bastard play the concertina in your show? Hi, Jody. The humidifier you mentioned. is it kept in the furniture for your concertinas, or is it just in the room where you keep the concertinas. Hope you are well. Eric (formerly from Brooklyn ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Wooff Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) I fully realise that some people live in harsh climates and especially so in the USA, however, generally speaking I find that my Concertinas work with out problems through a Humidity range from 20% to 90%. Currently I have 20% RH in my house and that is about as low as I have seen here in central France with a cold, dry eastern airflow arriving from Russia. The older instruments should be less prone to wood movement with humidity variations because of their settled state and age and because the makers of years ago had access to very well seasoned timbers. I would be more concerned for the 'new' instruments. I would be more concerned about adverse temperatures; never leave an instrument in the blazing sunshine or in a vehicle when it is very hot or cold. I have ,however, played concertinas at a range of temperatures from minus 5 to plus 47 (Centigrade) with out problems. What I am really trying to say is that it is all very well to keep these precious things in a Museum type atmosphere but as musical instruments they have to live in the real world and when they are being played they will be moving a lot of ambient air that has not been 'conditioned'.. unless one plays in an especially organised room. Edited February 4, 2012 by Geoff Wooff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Bayliss Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) I've taken to using a "Humistat" (with hygrometer) in the case of my large duet during the hot, dry central Texas summers. Otherwise, there can be a bit of air leakage between reed chambers. Edited February 4, 2012 by Jim Bayliss Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jggunn Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 I agree with Geoff. I have three English concertinas -- two of very high quality. I live part of the year in Davis CA -- a quite dry climate but actually it is dewpoint more than humidity that makes the weather feel dry. Part of the year I am on the coast of Maine where the humidity is very high. I have never experienced difficulties due to changes in humidity. I think it is a more crucial issue in the case of violins, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 I agree with Geoff. I have three English concertinas -- two of very high quality. I live part of the year in Davis CA -- a quite dry climate but actually it is dewpoint more than humidity that makes the weather feel dry. Part of the year I am on the coast of Maine where the humidity is very high. I have never experienced difficulties due to changes in humidity. I think it is a more crucial issue in the case of violins, etc. Lucky you, both Geoff and timestamp. What you report is not my experience. For me, the summers run about 90% and the winters 20%. Before I figured out how to have humidity control I would have buzzing reeds, out of tune reeds and leaking chambers that play two notes at a time. All wood, young and old swells in the wet summers and shrinks in the dry winters. The metal ends don't change at all. Modern instruments often use ply with cross grains to mitigate this problem and my old instruments do seem to be more affected. Before I got the humidifier (yes, it is inside the glass fronted display case that stores the 'tinas) I would have to open all the precious darlings up twice per year to reset all the reed shoes and screw them back together with the right amount of torque on the bolts. Sometimes the end bolts would be so tight I could barely unscrew them or so loose that air was escaping. Believe me, I do not coddle these working boxes and am willing to play in all sorts of adverse conditions. It's the average humidity that counts. The boxes have to be in 20% for a week before my problems start. Your millage may vary, of course. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 Hi Eric, I remember you well. Did you ever end up letting the Red Bastard play the concertina in your show? Not into the show. I did a couple small performances. But I had not gotten too far with it. So now I am surrounded by musicians both at work and at home, so I'm going to take advantage of that for a couple of years and really dig into it. the new instrument is a beauty! Congratulations on your new Crane. I always thought clowning and concertina were a match made in heaven. So I suggest that you order yourself the Caliber III Thermometer Hygrometer, http://www.amazon.co...tag=blog-fv4-20 for about $15 or one of many others like it and see what your humidity is, both in your home and inside the case and take it from there. It's handy to have a little device like this to see how your freezer and refrigerator are doing and how hot does it get up in the attic in the summer etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephenTx Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 (edited) Gary...you are absolutely correct about East Texas humidity....no one responded as to the best range of temperature to keep them at??????! I am originally rom Hawaii..and considering moving back their or most likely to San Diego in a couple of years loved the weather there. Stephen Edited February 6, 2012 by StephenTx Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Weinstein Posted February 6, 2012 Share Posted February 6, 2012 If you are using an ultrasonic humidifier, you may want to use distilled water in it. Evaporative cool air humidifiers use a wick and a fan, and only the water makes it into the air. Ultrasonic humidifiers can create a very fine dust out of the minerals in water because of the way they work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daviseri Posted February 11, 2012 Author Share Posted February 11, 2012 starting with a dampit and an electronic humidity gage. got them both at sam ash. Feel like this is a good solution to start with Thanks for everyone's advice! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jody Kruskal Posted February 13, 2012 Share Posted February 13, 2012 If you are using an ultrasonic humidifier, you may want to use distilled water in it. Evaporative cool air humidifiers use a wick and a fan, and only the water makes it into the air. Ultrasonic humidifiers can create a very fine dust out of the minerals in water because of the way they work. Hi Dave, yes that is true. I tried using tap water in my first ultrasonic humidifier and ruined it with the mineral build up. My second one with distilled water is holding up just fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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